


Martel's True Will

by Thaeonblade



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amputation, Character Study, Dark, Drama, F/M, Romance, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-11
Updated: 2013-09-10
Packaged: 2017-12-26 06:38:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/962776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thaeonblade/pseuds/Thaeonblade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the night before the Chosen's Journey begins, one of the four seraphim decides to pay a visit to Dirk's adopted son. After years of seeing his beloved's final wish become a justification for atrocities and sins uncountable,  the Renegade Seraph enters an unpredictable gambit.</p><p>He will tell Lloyd Irving the Truth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes:
> 
> First, I'll make one thing clear.
> 
> This will not be an evil Lloyd.
> 
> Chaotic-Good? Yes. Darker? Yes. Stronger and Smarter? Within reason.
> 
> But what you will see is a Lloyd who is still assertive and bold; but he'll be more knowing, aware and most importantly, focused.
> 
> His focus? Saving Colette. Spoilers: It won't be pretty.
> 
> I want to explore a small question that I had about the game's original story. What would have happened if Yuan had taken a more proactive approach in defying Mithos by telling Lloyd about the cycles of regeneration? Then give him an edge to use to thwart that cycle?

"Dad?" An intruder yawned as a young man entered his home, worried that something had happened to his parent, "Dad!"

"Don't worry, your father sleeps." The intruder had nothing to fear, he had come to speak to this very child.

"And just who the hell are you!" The boy demanded as he drew out his twin swords.

"Nobody important." The intruder walked casually through the living room, he held his cape over the front of his body. He wasn't cold, but he did note that some people were further intimidated by him when he did so and therefore, more prone to listening. "But if you require a name Lloyd Irving, then you can call me Yuan."

"Yuan?" The boy didn't even notice that Yuan had just said his name. It was true, the boy was slow, "What do you want?"

"I'm merely a nameless renegade here with an important message." Yuan brushed hair out of his face while the boy kept his swords held up in an awkward guard, "You are a fool."

"What?" The boy seemed shocked, stunned at what Yuan had told him, "You broke into my home and knocked out my dad to tell me that!" Lloyd slashed out to send a wave of telekinetic mana towards Yuan who blocked it with his double-bladed sword and spun in a rapid dance as the boy charged in and attacked.

Yuan made short work of the boy's flimpsy guard and broke through one of his swords before forcing the boy back into a wall with unseen mana. Grumbling, the boy stood back up as Yuan sheathed his weapon, uninterested in a fight.

"Swift...reckless...bold..." Yuan stated as Lloyd paid little attention to his broken sword and still remained ready to fight, "Just like your father."

"You knew my father?"

"It doesn't matter, I am not here about him." Though he would have if he was going with the original plan, "I'm here to tell you about your friend, the Chosen."

"Colette..." The boy's narrowed as he held up his remaining sword and the broken blade of the other, "Oh no! If you're here to hurt her-"

"Me? Hurt the Chosen?" Yuan chuckled as he sat back in a chair behind him, "What nonsense you speak child...I am here to ensure that you learn a simple truth."

"And why should I believe anything that you say to me?"

"I never said that you had to believe me." Yuan clarified while the boy just growled, "Nor did I say that I would tell you."

"I'll give you a choice." Yuan said as he pulled out two items with each of his hands and held them out to the boy, "These swords? They're plain now...but give me a moment..." Yuan focused and didn't blink as a burst of energy shot out along the blades.

"Mana..."

"The choice is presented by whichever sword you take."

"You...You're giving me the swords?"

"Only the one that you choose." Yuan answered as the boy cautiously regarded the weapons in his hands, "If you take the sword surrounded in white fire, you will experience a momentary nausia before you lose consciousness. Then you will wake up whenever you originally planed to with no memory of ever meeting me. Afterwards, you will follow your precious chosen in ignorance of the cycle you propel on."

"If you take the sword surrounded in blue fire." Yuan continued, surpressing a smirk because he now had the boy exactly where he wanted him, "You'll experience pain...physically and mentally. You will learn a truth that has been pulled over your eyes and it will shock you. But what you do with what this sword, depends completely on you."

"That simple?" As Yuan expected, the boy was not very easy to put at ease. While entranced by the power emitting from the two weapons, Lloyd did not trust the man holding them.

Smart boy.

"Remember." Yuan stared straight into the child's eyes, there was something waking up. It needed only something to jump upon and devour, "This is neither salvation nor damnation, all I offer...is the truth."

The truth.

Something flared in the boy's eyes before it cooled, distorting the boy's trust. It told Lloyd that his distrust of the intruder was irrelevant compared to the truth that he promised.

Yuan had no need to guess, Lloyd's gaze fell upon the cold blue flame. Yuan smirked, this boy had been withheld from the truth and somehow he knew it. He was no presented with a chance, a chance to learn of his friend's burden.

The boy slowly dropped his broken sword, shifted his remaining one to the left hand and reached out with his right. His hand hesitated to grip the enflamed handle, of course it was. The handle was on fire, any sane person would avoid fire.

But the boy never once took his gaze from that handle, he had already made his choice.

* * *

"Kratos?"

"It's nothing..." Kratos Aurion breathed, he could have sworn that he had felt something...no, it wasn't possible. "Are you sure that this is wise?"

"What?" The restless blond girl asked while Kratos crossed his arms over his chest.

"Lying to Lloyd about when you would leave." Kratos said to the Chosen as he leaned against the wall, "It is none of my business, but why not just tell him the truth."

"Kratos...I..."

"It is awfully cruel to mislead him-"

"It would be more so to take him with us!" The girl burst out while Kratos nodded in agreement, "He doesn't need to know...he doesn't need to see..."

"See that you will die?"

"Yes..." The girl held her legs up to her chest as tears flowed out of her eyes, "I don't want him to see me...see me die..."

* * *

"Lloyd..." The boy was now curled into a fetal position, desperately clutching his shoulders while his right hand was glued around the sword he had chosen, "What did you learn?"

"I heard her...I heard it from her own mouth..." The boy muttered amidst mad drooling and his own tears, "She's going to die..."

"Yes." Yuan walked in a circle around Lloyd, watching his sobbing, shaking form as he sensed something rise inside of the human, "This path she is about to embark on...will lead to her death."

"But why?" Lloyd now sounded much more angry than he did sad. This was a positive change in Yuan's opinion, "It's just going to..."

"Shift back in a few generations?" The boy stopped shaking as Yuan smirked, "My boy...what you need to understand is that everything you know...is wrong."

"Cruxis...the goddess Martel...The Journey of-" Lloyd didn't seem able to say it, the word apparently infuriated him to where he shot to his feet, "It's all a joke? It's all a joke!"

"Yes, a big cosmic scam designed to play with lives." Yuan confirmed as the boy stayed with his arms curled at his side, "And your friend, is going to be this game's latest victim."

"Colette..." Lloyd's eyes were shut tight with frustration and rage, as well as sadness that only fueled the earlier emotions, "She lied to me...she doesn't want me to go..."

"No..." Yuan slipped around to Lloyd's back and whispered gently into his ear, "She cares too much for you. She believes it better for you to live happily knowing that she will not embark on this quest."

"A quest that will first take away her right to rest." Yuan felt the beast in this boy's heart stir, he had felt it once and still does even years after it had awoke, "Then, it will take her ability to eat and be filled." Tears still flowing, the boy's teeth began to grit against each other.

"She will then lose her sense of touch...to feel someone hold her hand." Lloyd's breathing quickened, Yuan could feel the air change around this child, "Her voice will be silenced by the cruelty of these false heavens."

"Finally, she will be led to the Alter of Salvation where her soul will-"

"No..." The exsphere started to glow as the boy clutched his fists, the beast was waking up.

"And what is left will be prepared for a possible match for the soul of-"

"NOOOO!" Yuan backed up when a mana flowed out from Lloyd and shook everything in his small house. The boy then cried fervently and pathetically as he fell to his knees. Yuan had been in the boy's shoes, he knew what it was like to have the world crash down on him.

"I know how you feel..." Yuan knelt down to the sobbing child and place an arm around the boy's shoulder, "I loved someone once...only to have the world take her away. For others to spit on her dream and her final wishes, pervert them into something...ugly."

"But you can save Colette." The boy slowly turned to face Yuan, "And find a satisfactory way to save Sylvar-"

"The hell with Sylvarant!" The boy spat on the ground as he stood up, "How could...How could they do this? How many past chosens have given their lives in vain?"

"Colette will be the 7th officially." Yuan answered, "But take into account the thousands of years that have passed-"

"Enough!" Yuan could already see the change happening, the darkening of his eyes, "I want to save Colette...if I can't save Sylvarant in the meantime...let it burn..."

"You would allow Sylvarant to die just for one girl?"

"She's not just a girl!" The boy shouted in fury, but stopped himself and slapped his tearful face, "She's Colette! She's kind, gentle, brave and way smarter than I'll ever be...and this world...it won't stop at one..."

"Say no more." Yuan stated as he gave the boy a cloth to wipe his face. "But I am afraid that without the right power, your words are just that...words."

"How do I become stronger?"

"You don't need to." Yuan stated as the boy looked on for a further explanation, "The power is already here."

"Mom's exsphere?"

"Exactly." Yuan answered, pointing the boy's attention to the exsphere embedded in his hand, "But unlike other's, this exsphere is very unique and already holds enough power to rival my own."

"But, you don't know how to access it, do you?" Yuan didn't need an answer, of course the boy didn't, "Not to the extent that you will need to. Otherwise, why did you grab the blue sword?" On que, the boy regarded the blue fire still surrounding the blade that was still in his hand.

"That is no ordinary sword." The fire jumped upon the boy's jacket and began to burn it away as the fire spread to cover his entire body, "It was forged long ago from a material known as Aeglos. It was fairly easy to mine, since it's native structure is much like ice. Once enough was melted together, you could mold it into a powerful weapon capable of absorbing mana and retaining it for close to a millenia."

"But, due to it's high demand. The resource soon ran out and Aeglos is now a thing of legend." Madly spinning in pain and panic, Lloyd was unable to keep the blue flame from flowing into his mouth and nose as he tried to scream but no sound came. "Furthermore, most who touched weapons forged of Aeglos were overwhelmed by the sheer raw mana flowing out from it."

"The fact that you are still alive and conscious places you in the minority Lloyd Irving." Lloyd's face was completely blank and etched with pain as he knelt on the floor, his exsphere taking on the same blue glare as the fire that had burned away his clothes, "That particular sword is yours to do with as you will. It was originally part of the project that placed that exsphere on your mother in the first place, so it is only fitting."

"The mana that is burning your skin, overwhelming your senses and turning your insides out? It's also yours." Despite appearances, Yuan knew that the boy was still listening, "It doesn't matter, it was only there to awaken the real power within you."

"You don't have to say it." Yuan assured the child as the flames ceased and left him kneeling in place, "But I know you love her. Why else are you so willing to forsake the world for her sake? Remember that once you awaken and let it drive you forward. Seek knowledge from those wiser and older than you, especially me, but never let anyone else stir your path."

"That power is active, but don't rely strictly on it. You'll have to work yourself into collapsing until you can fully use it," Yuan stated as the boy fell forward onto the floor, "And speaking of collapsing."

"Sleep well, Lloyd Irving." Yuan said to the child as he walked out of the ruined living room, "And forgive me..."

With this move, Martel's True Will would be done.


	2. Chapter 2

Her first stop would be the Trient Ruins in the desert far south of Iselia. After that, she would have to cross the ocean to visit the Thoda Geyser and the Balacruf Mausoleum after going over the mountain pass. She would then visit the Tower of Mana and finally the Tower of Salvation where her journey would end.

End the suffering of the world and her own life.

Despite knowing since she was ten that this was her fate, Colette Brunel was frightened and guilty for feeling that way. She was afraid to die, even though not dying would lead to the suffering of the world. She had been chosen for this task and no other could do it for her.

If that was the case then why was she sitting outside of Iselia crying? She shouldn't feel that way! She had to fulfill the will of the goddess or else, she had to follow the teachings of Cruxis.

Yet even as she said those words to herself, she didn't stop crying as she lied in the grass. How could she be so selfish?

As she wept more quietly, she felt a warming presence sit beside her and take her into his arms.

"Hey Colette." Lloyd softly said as Colette's fears were replaced with new ones while she selfishly took so much happiness from him just being there, "You're up a bit early..."

"Lloyd?" It was almost like a dream, but no, it was no dream. Colette quickly threw on her mental mask, the one she had sworn to use to keep anyone else from sharing her burden. As Lloyd released her, the girl giggled nervously, "Just...getting an early start for the day..."

"Funny," Lloyd lied back on the grass as Colette sat next to him wandering what he would say about-, "I thought that you wouldn't be leaving until sunrise."

Did he find out? Yes, she did lie to him, but he didn't know. She didn't want him to be grieved by what she would have to do. But now that he knew that she had lied to him-

"Oh well, you probably gave me the wrong time on accident..." Lloyd had really come out here by mistake? "It's gotta be hard keeping up with things now that you've gotta save the world from the Desians."

"I didn't forget about you Lloyd..."

"I know you didn't," This had to be a dream, because Lloyd had just grabbed her hand and was using the other to brush her hair out of her pleasantly stunned face, "That's why I remembered you and got here to make sure that I didn't miss you."

"That's what makes you such a great friend..." Colette squeezed Lloyd's hand as she gave a true smile, "Are you sure that you want to go with us?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." Seeing that someone was coming towards them, Colette abruptly released Lloyd's hand, perplexing him for a moment before he noticed and followed the glance of her eyes, "Hi Professor!"

"Lloyd?" Professor Raine, robed in her usual orange robes was politely pleased but also confused that Lloyd was here, "What are you doing here?"

"I woke up early so that I wouldn't miss you guys from leaving."

"I told him that he could come, Professor..."

"Colette..."

"Why not? Lloyd is strong and otherwise there would only be three of us." Colette knew that Raine was only going along with Colette's original desire, but now that he was here anyway, there was no point to him knowing the truth.

"Though if his abilities are still at question." Lloyd stood up as Kratos joined the conversation, his stoic face did not show anger but it did not give off a pleasant reaction Lloyd's unexpected presence, "It would be better if there were only three than traveling with a liable member."

"How about testing me then?" Lloyd offered lightly was Colette frantically looked between her dearly cared for childhood friend and the older man who was barring his way into this journey.

She mentally slapped herself for being so selfish but she couldn't help it. On one hand, she wanted Lloyd at her side, to give her strength and to be with him before the end. But on the other, she wanted Kratos to stop Lloyd and prevent him from feeling more pain from what was to come.

"Lloyd!" Raine stood before her teacher in panicked outrage and disapproval, "I understand that you want to help Colette, but recklessly challenging another swordsman is no way to-"

"I have no objections." Kratos stated much to Colette's increased shock, "But blame your fate if you are proved to be unworthy."

"This shouldn't be long, Colette..." Rolling her eyes and muttering something about "the male specimen", Raine just sat on the side as Lloyd nodded to Colette and addressed Kratos, "It's only a spar, we'll stop after three blows, deal?"

"Agreed."

"Be careful..." Colette said to Lloyd as Kratos started walking out into the field.

"You Dork...relax..." Lloyd's smile vanished when he noticed that she was even more worried, she didn't mean to. But this was all her fault, "I will be careful, Colette." Seeing him smile again cheered her up, but that good feeling faded away when he ran off to catch up with Kratos.

"Don't blame yourself for this..." Raine told Colette while nursing a budding headache in with her head.

"I'm the one who lied to him..." Colette sadly said as she watched Lloyd and Kratos pace out into the field, "Why couldn't I just say no?"

"Because you're Colette." The Professor was right of course. Colette couldn't bring himself to tell Lloyd that he couldn't go with her.

Because she wanted him to go. But at the same time, she needed to make him stay...why couldn't things be easy.

"What's going on?" Along with Lloyd's large green and white dog Noise came Raine's younger brother Genis. Confused at the battle that started out in the field, Genis sat down next to his sister, "Is that Lloyd?"

"Fighting Kratos, yes." Raine mildly answered as if she was not surprised in the least as Genis' eyes nearly fell out of their sockets, "Oddly though...this doesn't seem out of place."

"Raine..." His mouth ajar, Genis motioned again to his sister, "Do you-"

"Goddess...I do..." Raine slapped her face again and put on a concerned but serious face as the three of them watched the duel progress, "I'll have a few questions for him when this is done."

"Why?" Colette asked, concerned that Raine would ask an impossible question to keep Lloyd from coming or worse, "Did Lloyd do something wrong?"

"No Colette, he just seems to have practiced a lot and we need to make sure that he isn't sleep deprived."

"Oh no..."

* * *

"You dirty half-breed monster!" Yuan regarded the cowardly mayor as an insect yelling loudly at the foot prepared to crush it. If he had any true decency, he would have died trying to stop Forcystus' guards from "relieving" themselves with the mayor's secretary.

But no, he just stood there and watched as the guards took turns. The coward kept watching, he didn't even try to grab her after they were done. He just stood there while the human woman's flower overflowed with the essence of her attackers, he didn't even try to stop the guards from killing her.

To him, this man was a sick dog barking at the moon.

"Would you like to know how many have said that to me before?" Yuan asked the man, satisfied when he smelt that the fool had wet himself, "Probably not."

"Likely as much as you deserve!" The man shouted, as though the greatest crime here was that half elves had broken in rather than the rape of his young secretary, "Well whats the problem? It's not like it isn't-" His patience thinned, the grand cardinal of the region slapped his golden arm cannon across the mayor's face and slammed the fool into the wall. Likely breaking a bone and another was sure to be broken when the green haired cardinal lifted the human up by the fool's throat.

"That'll be all Forcystus." Yuan stated, the desian grand cardinal spat in the human's terrified face as he threw the human down, "As I was saying, it is my displeasure to inform you that Lord Forcystus will soon raze your village to the ground for a Code Red-4 violation of the non-aggression treaty that you worked out between yourselves."

"What if we just gave you-"

"Therefore, I believe the death of the Chosen will suffice as payment along with the death of every man, the enslavement of your children and the shrill shrieking screams of your women as they are violated by us dirty disgusting mal-willed half-breed demons."

"You...You can't..." Now the mayor noticed two things, one was that his secretary was never there, not even the stains from her assault were ever present. Two, Yuan was holding out his hand and charging a small orb of man that gave off sparks of electricity, "But you said-"

"I said that Forcystus wouldn't kill you." Yuan clarified as he fired his attack through the human's chest, blasting out bone, muscle and blood onto the wood wall behind the fool and causing the coward to fall forward dead before he struck the ground, "I never said anything about myself, human."

"Shall I destroy the village-"

"No...only the Chosen's group." Yuan stated to the Desian Grand Cardinal, "Capture the Angelus Exsphere and the Chosen's Cruxis Crystal, the rest are expendable."

"Even the boy-"

"All who stand against Lord Yggdrassial are no different in his eyes." Yuan said, never making eye contact...otherwise Forcystus would figure out Yuan's intent, "I hope that you understand."

"Of course, Lord Fa-Kai." With that, Yuan didn't move as a rune appeared on the ground beneath him and he teleported out of the small town of Iselia as Forcystus stood up from where he knelt.

"Sir..." The green haired Desian turned to his waiting subordinate, "Everyone is positioned as you requested."

"Tell them to stay in their places until I give the signal." The soldier appeared shocked by his leader's orders, but was too frightened to speak of them, therefore Forcystus choose to humor himself, "Is there a problem?"

"Permission to speak freely?"

"Granted."

"My lord, this is madness..." The soldier slowly answered as if afraid that any wrong word would invoke his leader's wrath, "Why are we being ordered to kill the Chosen? I thought the Chosen was to be brought to Lord Yggdrassial as an offering to restore mana to the land."

"That is true, however," Forcystus worded his answer carefully to keep from revealing his own confusion, "I have been informed that this Chosen was...ill-chosen. In short, the humans deceived us into chosing the wrong girl and now we will amend that problem."

"How?" The soldier asked, unable to believe that the humans could have deceived them or Cruxis, "How could we be deceived by these disgusting humans?"

"I don't know." The grand cardinal admitted, there was something about the way that Lord Yuan relied his orders, "I intend to inquire of Lord Yggdrassial myself after this is concluded. For now, to your place."

"Yes my Lord." The soldier leapt out the open window into the forest as Forcystus shook his head at the mess that Lord Yuan had left. Fortunately, Lord Yggdrassial's edict had been copied and posted to the man's frightened skull and charmed to ensure that blood would not obscure his lord's command.

* * *

To say that Kratos stunned would be an understatement.

He was amazed. He knew that he had felt something last night, something had happened to Lloyd. Of course it was the same seventeen year old boy with dual swords and a head strong will that wasn't very surprising now that Kratos knew where the boy got it from.

No, Lloyd seemed more focus.

His stance was a complete 180 from the mess that it had been during the battle with the "desians" and he was choosing his attacks more intelligently as well. Not to mention the calculated force in each of the boy's blows.

Blows that bore the unmistakable signature of mana.

Wielding an exsphere betrays that some mana would be used. But only elven blooded individuals could do so in an obvious manner befitting of a mage, sorceror, or an explicit magic user.

And now this child was somehow channeling mana through his body to his sword. As if he were channeling a spell through the blades themselves. Where did the child learn such a thing in one night?

As the dual drew on, Kratos also noticed that Lloyd himself was stunned at times by the mana that was flowing through his attacks. That proved that whatever had happened was nothing that Lloyd had initiated, at least nothing he initiated knowingly. He could press the boy for more answers, but Kratos realized that lengthening the match any further may draw unwanted attention.

Specifically from those who still seek for Lloyd's now very active exsphere.

"Very well, we will call it a draw." Kratos sheathed his sword as Lloyd stood up relaxed in confusion, but not in disagreement.

"Fine with me." Lloyd flung around both blades before sheathing them, convincing Kratos that the child's newfound focus had made an impact on the child's maturity.

"I am satisfied, Lloyd." Kratos stated as the two of them began to walk back to the others, "Despite your clumsy stance, defense and pace; You do possess adequate speed and attack, not to mention your determination in the face of infavorable odds. You were also able to adapt very well to unforeseen attacks and my spells."

"Does that mean I can go?" There was desire in the boy's voice, but also determination. If he was not allowed to accompany the Chosen, then he would follow her to the ends of the world and beyond.

"It was the Chosen's decision, I was merely testing to ensure that her judgement wasn't misplaced."

"You mean Colette?" There was the hint of a threat in the boy's voice, but the threat was not an misguided one. The boy meant what he had said, "That is her name."

"True." Kratos stopped walking as he prepared to give this boy one final test to confirm his suspicions. He swiped out his sword and watched Lloyd swerve back from the attack, duck under the blade while drawing his swords and brandishing the blades in a defensive stance as Kratos' suspicions were affirmed.

"What was that for?"

"To test your awareness." Kratos stated as he sheathed his sword and watched Lloyd do the same, "Well done."

"Thanks," Lloyd replied with a smile, "Sometimes you just realize stuff right out of nowhere."

"Like what?"

"I just decided to be there for Colette." Lloyd answered, "So I took the initiative and got up early, if I had just went on what Colette had told me then something might have happened that made you guys leave me."

"I see. So long as you do not interfere with the will of Cruxis."

"No promises." Kratos watched Lloyd stalk towards the others at a faster pace, anger burning off of his mood as Kratos maintained his own pace in thought as an unlikely but viralant thought came to his mind.

Did Lloyd Irving know the truth?

If so...who told him?


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure that you don't want me to go?" Genis knew where this would go. But he couldn't help it, he didn't want them to leave without a doubt that they wouldn't need him.

"Genis...we've talked about this." Raine said to him as Lloyd and Colette stood nearby watching the siblings while Kratos sat next to Noishe, "The journey will be very dangerous and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you."

"But you're letting Lloyd go!" Genis tried very hard not to give a glance to Lloyd for his help. Logically, asking Lloyd for back-up would not only lessen his chances of going, but would also decrease the certainty of Lloyd going with Colette, "Why can't I prove myself?"

"One, you are a child and two," Raine knelt down to her brother's level and gave him a tight hug as Genis held back tears, "You are my brother...In order to help Colette, I need to be completely focused and knowing that you're safe...will do just that."

"Even with the desians?"

"If I am correct, the desians of this region signed a non-aggression pact with Iselia." Kratos stated, "Though I could not speak for the other ranches."

"So the desians operate out of the ranches..." Lloyd thoughtfully said to himself while Genis saw the odd sight of Lloyd really visibly thinking, "How many of them are there...five?"

"No one knows for sure, but I wouldn't rule out the number being around that amount." Kratos answered, a slight influx of the voice told Genis that Lloyd may have guessed close to the exact number...at least the one that Kratos had in mind, "But this is the only ranch on this continent and outside of that, I do not know of any other possible bases of operations."

"Alright," Lloyd confidently stated, "As long as we avoid the desians, this shouldn't be too much of..."

"Lloyd! Colette!" The group turned to see a young boy desperately drag an older man towards them, a trail of blood marking their trail from within the forest, "Please...papa's hurt!"

"Oh no!" Colette cried as she and Genis ran over to help the father off of the tired and scared boy, "Professor!"

"Understood..." Raine calmly walked over and held out her staff over the bloodied man with two gashes in his stomach and side where blood streamed out in a scene that sickened Genis, "Try not to move Charles, you're hurt very badly..."

"Chosen...the village..." Charles muttered as Raine continued to heal him while Paul held onto Lloyd, "Desians..."

"What?" Lloyd asked before Charles grew more quiet, but was managing to breath easier, "What do you mean? What happened Paul?"

"Papa and I were out getting firewood for the forge..." The boy explained while still looking back at his father, "Then he told me to get down and some desians came...they started talking about attacking the village and...killing someone..."

"Who?"

"I don't know...they found us out..." Paul answered Kratos and didn't stop tears from streaming out of his eyes, "Please...you have to help the village!"

"Alright...I've done all that I can." Raine stated as she stood up from the stable Charles, his wounds were still there but his blood loss had ceased, "The worst is past, but he'll need a place to rest and recuperate."

"Noishe!" Noishe walked over to Lloyd and barked as Lloyd brought his attention to Paul and Charles, "Take them back to dad's...I'll be over there soon..." Noishe barked in acknowledgement as he gently picked up Charles and hurled him onto his back as Paul held on to Noishe's back before he left the party.

"Genis?" Did Raine pick up on his thoughts? "What's wrong?"

"Sis..." Was now the best time to tell her the truth? Tell her about going going to the ranch and everything that it might have led to?

"He's worried about the town." Lloyd interjected, likely to keep Genis from saying anything about what he caused yesterday, "So what are we standing around here for? We have to help them..."

"That is the Chosen's-"

"Lloyd's right!" Colette cried with a face that was brave and a bit uncertain, "I know that I'm supposed to start my journey...but how can I when my own family is killed while my back is turned?"

"Colette..." Genis knew just as well as his sister that this journey would go nowhere without Colette. Which meant that they would have to stand up to the desians. Besides that, it was the majority had already decided. Genis was all for helping the town with Lloyd and Colette while Kratos didn't seem to lean in either direction.

At least that was what Genis guessed.

"Alright, but we'll need a plan." Raine stated, cautiously on board for this counterattack, "And I mean an actual one, not one that we make up on the fly."

* * *

"I won't repeat myself." Grand Cardinal Forcystus said to the humans huddled together on their knees, "Where is the Chosen?" It had been a smooth operation thus far. Going on information taken from the mayor, the Chosen was planning to leave this morning.

So seeing as that the pact had already been stepped on, Forcystus saw no reason to round up the people in the town and have them hand over the Chosen. Considering that they were the one's who broke the treaty, Forcystus saw this as a suitable plan.

"We told you!" One human yelled out, "She's already left! Your days are numbered Desians!"

"Left?" Why was it that these humans never ceased to annoy him, the grand cardinal still could not figure out why to this day, "According to my scouts, she is still within this area and I would hate to cause unnecessary bloodshed."

"Unnecessary?"

"Meaning," He had no intention of firing, but Forcystus opened his arm cannon just to scare the little humans, "There is only one, maybe two of you lowly humans who I intended to kill."

"What?" A blond human asked as he stood up, "You can't do this!"

"I'm sorry, could you repeat yourself human?"

"I said! You can't hurt my daughter!"

"Frank!" The older woman next to the man spoke a bit late, Forcystus smiled at the human who had foolishly identified himself as the Chosen's daughter. Apparently rumors of the chosen's parentage weren't readily accepted by their progenator's, "The Iselia-Desian treaty still stands-"

"That idiot!" Forcystus blurted out-loud, he may have not liked this town's mayor but if he were still alive this whole process would be that much easier to sort out. Still, the grand cardinal mastered his emotions and addressed the elderly woman, "Oh...the only one who was informed was your mayor...pity..."

"Informed of what?" She truly had no idea about what had transpired. Typical humans, always being content to be led along like sheep.

"The treaty was breached." Forcystus said plainly, smirking bitterly as the elderly woman gave a look of utmost horror, "By a human from your town, a code red-4."

"What does that mean mother?" Frank asked the elderly woman.

"It means that someone intruded onto Desian territory..."

"Normally that would only constitute a code yellow which unlike my colleagues, I hardly care for." Forcystus admitted while the crowd listened with rising fear, "But not only did this human break into the actual ranch which is a code orange that would only require the responsible human to step forward..."

"But the human also attacked and murdered no less than four of my men before escaping his due consequences!" Forcystus wasn't particularly attached to those men, but his sudden flare of drama did increase the quiet panic in these townsfolk and even if he hadn't shown such a reaction, he had a feeling that they would do anything to simply not die, "This I will not allow. By the authority of Lord Yggdrassial, your Chosen will hereby be taken and executed for this heinous breach of our treaty."

"Who was this person anyway!" Frank very bravely demanded, Forcystus was strongly considering killing the human before any others got any stupid ideas, "How can you desians prove that he was from this-"

"Security cameras around their perimeter." Another human answered as he stepped out in front of the crowd, stains of blood barely seen on his red jacket, "This is my fault...I killed your men."

"Lloyd?" Frank asked in surprise as if he couldn't believe that the child was standing where he was, "Lloyd!"

"You?" It took a while to register, but Forcystus gradually recognized the human walking out to confront him, "Yes, I recognize your image child. Brave of you to step forward and admit your crimes."

"Lying is the path to thievery." The human named Lloyd stated, "And I won't have lives stolen for my actions."

"Brave words," Forcystus agreed as he opened his arm cannon and fired a mana charge at the brave but foolish youth, scorching the front of his jacket and sending him crashing through a building on fire, "Now I won't have to senselessly destroy your village just to find you."

"Lloyd!" The Chosen's father stood up and tried to run to where Lloyd had been launched but the elder woman grabbed his arm, "Mother...please..."

"Hush Frank..." She admonished and then turned to face the Grand Cardinal, "You have your culprit-"

"What did you say?" This old hag just didn't get it. Forcystus didn't like unnecessary violence, not because he cared for these inferior humans.

But because he hated messes.

"Mother!" The Chosen's father cried as the hag was shocked by the electricity that emitted from Forcystus' cannon. It was nowhere near enough to usually kill a living being, but with a frail human, even stun settings could cause problems. Though it wasn't as though she had much longer to live anyway.

"Next time, I won't hold back," Forcystus warned, his arm-cannon decharging while the Chosen's father tended to the old woman who wouldn't shut up, "Will you or anyone else presume to challenge my edict?"

"Yikes...that hurt..." The Grand Cardinal's eyes widened when that same damned boy emerged from the wreckage that he had been thrown into. A slight essence of mana emitted from his body as Forcystus noticed a glowing exsphere on his left wrist.

"Lloyd..." A female in a white dress said as she ran up to the boy, "Are you alright?" How did she get past his perimeter?

"Never better!" Lloyd stated to the blond girl, "So you're not just here for me, are you?"

"No..." This boy was perceptive, far more perceptive than someone like him ought to be. Furthermore, this child's exsphere was...no, it couldn't have been the one from Kvar's project...could it? "The best way to ensure that my edicts are not violated is to strike at the reason for this treaty's creation."

"You want the Chosen-"

"Colette!" The boy barked at the elder woman, the poor human was whipped by the Chosen, "He's after Colette to punish me for killing his men."

"Clever boy," Forcystus dryly complemented as he signaled his men to surround Lloyd and his companion, "Now step aside or the next blow will be lethal."

"I think I can take another one." This child was either very brave or a complete idiot to believe that he could stand against him.

"I don't believe you understand-"

"You're threatening Colette." The boy stated, cutting off Forcystus as he drew his twin blades, "That's all that I need to know."

"You intend to challenge me alone, boy?"

"Not alone." The girl brandished a pair of bladed chakrams as Forcystus's men prepared to attack, "Please don't say anything Lloyd..."

"What about be careful?" Cute, these two humans were obviously a couple, "Can you blame a friend for caring?"

"Before you throw your lives away, humans," Forcystus began as he drew out his golden lance and signaled for more men to be on standby, "I would be inclined to ask just how you broke through the perimeter of my men?"

"Normally I would tell you to blame your fate." That answer came in the form a blade that stabbed out through the chest of a desian on the grand cardinal's left as Forcystus turned and was stunned to see that answer, "Until you made the conscious mistake of targeting the subject of my contract."

"You..." It was impossible. Kratos, one of the four seraphim was standing against him despite the fact that he was also standing against Yggdrassial's will, "But...I see..." Forcystus quickly hid his shock as a new revelation dawned upon him. Apart from Pronyma, Forcystus was the only desian who knew of the identity of the four seraphim. If Kratos fell to him for defying Yggdrassial's will, then perhaps he would be rewarded for his faith.

He would take Kratos' place as a seraph.

"Fireball!" Just as Forcystus moved to face the traitor, a series of fireballs struck several of his men guarding the towns people as the grand cardinal turned and noticed a white haired youth behind a broken fence. This village was also employing elves or worse, half-elves?

Pity...

"Well played, human," Forcystus complemented, "You provoked the attack, all to lure me here and buy more time for the Chosen to begin her journey."

"Something like that, desian." Lloyd stated in a tone that neither owned to or denied the accusation, "We're not gonna turn a blind eye after your last attempt yesterday."

"Attempt?" Was this child implying that he had already attempted to kill the Chosen? It must have been those damn Renegades, how did they keep getting past his net of information?

Despite the circumstances, it had been a long time since Forcystus had been in a true battle. Despite the questions raging in his own mind, he would put down this uprising and bring his doubts to Lord Yggdrassail as soon as his will was accomplished.

Best of all, it would not be an easy task, exactly as Forcystus preferred.

That kept things interesting.


	4. Chapter 4

If he had to be honest then Forcystus would admit to having better days.

What started as a simple incursion to kill the Chosen and bring her Cruxis Crystal to Lord Yggdrassial had now turned into a battle against her protectors and one of his lord's personally chosen Seraphim.

With his personal force now at less than a quarter of their original numbers.

"Well done..." Forcystus complemented Lloyd Irving as he clashed his arm-cannon against the human's swords, one of which gave off a subtle mana flow that the Gnashing Gale recognized, "The Chosen choose her protectors well..."

"Colette is a smart girl. What did you expect?" The Grand Cardinal drove his arm out of the clash and fired a mana blast that the boy barely managed to evade. Against his explicit orders, two of his soldiers ran up to try to kill the boy.

For their trouble, Forcystus grudgingly thought that their being slashed and left to drain onto the ground was appropriate enough.

Elsewhere, he noticed that his men were doing more poorly than he had feared. The Seraphim, the girl whom Forcystus strongly believed to be the Chosen, and the two traitors worked well as a unit against his soldiers while a few of the villagers had gained enough courage to attack as well.

But he couldn't simply stop his duel with the boy. No, he had a feeling that stopping to fight the Seraphim with this strange human would be more problem than it was probably worth.

"Bring out the creature!" He ordered one of his soldiers before he sent out an Exbone drone that fired a wind blade at the human, "I shall deal with you personally, Lloyd Irving."

"Guys..." The human said as "the creature" lumbered towards his friends and slashed to reflect a wind blade into the ground to Forcystus' amazement.

"We can handle this creature Lloyd." The older traitor assured the human as the Seraphim hesitated to attack the large dark green monster that struck him across the chest. Forcystus was actually rather surprised to have seen that happen. As Kratos created a barrier to protect from the beast's mana claw, the grand cardinal noticed his fearful expression.

This was not the first time that he had faced this creature...but then again if Kvar was correct...

"Kratos!" Thankfully, Forcystus was starting to see a silver-lining in this situation because there went the Chosen to save the Seraphim suffering post-trauma. She threw her chakram at the monster's arm and made a decisive hit strong enough to divert attention while the younger traitor used a well timed wind blade to cut through it's side and knock it off balance.

But before she caught her chakram, the girl was tackled by a desian who proceeded to knock away the other chakram while she struggled against him and another before thought dead desian who helped hold her down.

"Colette!" Regardless of the girl's ability to probably fight off two tired desians, Lloyd slashed through Forcystus's probe and ran to assist her. Leaving his back exposed to the Grand Cardinal's now charged attack.

He originally considered shooting the boy in the back, but the Grand Cardinal thought that the boy would either dodge the attack and that it would be in poor taste. The Seraphim would not suffer damage so he was not a viable target. Despite her position, Forcystus recognized the small desian group who were restraining and preparing to kill the girl as competent and chose not to attack.

As for the traitors...the boy's offensive magic had been a hassle but not as much as the older woman who was not only the more seasoned but she was also the healer of their group and standing next to a human child.

With that short thought, the choice was easy for Forcystus.

"Raine!" Lloyd cried after he cut down the desians that were hassling Colette as the Grand Cardinal smirked. The woman foolishly threw herself out to protect a stupid human child. It was rather sad to see a member of his kind sacrifice an arm for one of those pathetic beings.

Especially when he knew that she would do that.

"Sis!" The younger traitor cried out as the woman managed to stay calm despite the blood spraying out of the stump under her left shoulder. Now Forcystus could see a domino effect begin to take place. The younger traitor was the woman's brother and now that his sister was injured then he would rush over to make sure that she was okay.

Leaving the rest of his enemies without dedicated magic support against the rallying remnants of his men and a creature that still had enough steam to be partially useful.

As the boy cut down another soldier, the creature marched over in between him and the Seraphim and slammed it's fist into the ground creating a shockwave that knocked both off of the ground.

"Pity..." The Grand Cardinal admitted as he saw the seraphim struggle to get up under his shook, "To think that the mighty Kratos would be this weak. He is only human, why should I be surprised?"

"Lloyd!" To Forcystus' surprise, the seraphims shook off his post-trauma and stabbed his lightning charged sword through the creature's leg. Resulting in a powerful mana bolt that blew off the creature's leg as Lloyd recovered and attacked the creature with a spinning sword tempest that carved through his chest and the girl threw one of her chakrams into the creature's neck, slashing it's throat and spraying blood out in a magnificent mess.

Realizing that it's purpose had been fulfilled, the Grand Cardinal aimed his cannon at it's chest and fired. The blast was not too powerful, but it would be enough to react with the creature's unstable mana and create an rather colorful explosion.

"Well played..." Forcystus complemented after lowering his arm-cannon and watched the cloud of debris rise over where his foes had been defeated, "You almost had me beaten, but then you had to try and be a hero. Now I not only know where the Chosen is, but I've caused you to stumble all at once."

"This isn't over yet!" The boy flipped out of the debris and as he landed in front of the shocked Grand Cardinal, thrust his blade through Forcystus' chest and was shot back by a forceful burst of mana, "Not while I'm breathing!"

"That is a remarkably powerful exsphere." The Grand Cardinal told the human as he held his wound. While it wasn't lethal, the mana behind the attack caused a sort of pain that Forcystus was not used to, "Would you like to know where it came from?"

"It's the essence of my mother..." Lloyd aimed an enflamed strike that cut across the grand cardinal's chest as he stumbled back in surprise, "Who you bastards killed!"

"Us?" The Grand Cardinal asked as eh decided to take this fight seriously before he was injured further, "We didn't kill your mother, it was-" Just then, Forcystus was grabbed by the before-thought dead creature and crushed in it's powerful grip before he could react.

"Lloyd..." He heard the creature say while he struggled to escape. How was it still alive in the first? "Genis...Run!"

"Marble..."

"I am...sorry for everything..." The monster apologized to the traitor while Forcystus felt a powerful and unstable mana build within her, "You...were like a grandson to me...goodbye...Genis..."

"Marble no!" The creature exploded in spectacular fashion at that moment. Leaving the Grand Cardinal on the brink of his life, still standing in defeat, humiliation and destitute. Before him, the human boy had erected a partial barrier to avoid the blast, but still succumbed to his wounds and fell forward onto his face.

In this, the Grand Cardinal was content.

"Lloyd!" That wretched girl ran to the boy's side and moved him into his lap, "Kratos! Lloyd's hurt!"

"Lord Forcystus!" Thankfully, the grand cardinal was not neglected. He especially appreciated the quickness of his remaining men due to the bleeding stump where the arm operating the sadly sacrificed cannon used to be.

"Lloyd Irving...as long as..." Forcystus breathed before his men grabbed him and allowed him to fall into their grip, "As long as you have that exsphere...you will be hunted..."

"Likewise, as long if you try to hurt Colette."

"We return to the ranch!" Forcystus commanded his men and as they turned in retreat, he decided to give one last warning to these humans, "Make peace with your goddess while you can humans! The next time you see a desian march for you...it will be your final hour..."

And they would remember why he was named the Gnashing Gale.

* * *

"Just look what has happened here!"

"Grandmother please..." Colette pleaded with her frantic grandmother as Lloyd stood by with Kratos while Genis sat beside his unconscious sister, "We both knew that this would happen eventually..."

"I..." Lloyd said, looking around at the destruction that had happened here, "I don't know what to say..."

"Child..." The old woman started, "I cannot pass judgement on the circumstances that caused you to act as you did...but I thank you for saving..."

"Colette..." Lloyd finished for Phaidra, "No need, that's what I've wanted to do all along."

"You think that's gonna be enough!" One of older villagers stepped out of the scared and angry crowd, one of the mayor's relatives, "People have died! The mayor was found in a pool of his own blood! The desians have marked you as their enemy!"

"Just like they did me." Colette pointed out to the man.

"It wasn't just Lloyd!" Genis stood up with teams streaming out of his eyes, "It was my fault too..."

"Genis..."

"I talked Lloyd into going to the ranch with me to meet...Marble...They started hurting Marble and Lloyd fought them...to protect someone that all of you have turned your backs on!"

"You little..." The man balled his fists in outrage at Genis' words, "Who are you to judge us? It was either the treaty or have the desians enslaving all of us! Just look at how the alternative turned out!"

"You humans..." Genis mumbled, "You're all the same...what about the attack on Colette from yesterday!"

"Genis has a point." Kratos pointed out neutrally, "From what I observed, neither the Chosen nor the townsfolk here had provoked that attack and I did not see your mayor at the very least throw a complaint at the desian leader."

"You're just a mercenary!" Another younger bandaged villager shouted, "Don't pretend that you know about us-"

"Enough!" Lloyd spoke up, "I get it, you're looking for someone to blame who you can actually get revenge on. Alright, here I am. I killed those desians-"

"Because I told him to."

"Colette!"

"What? No Colette!"

"Colette..." Frank was stunned at what his daughter had just said, "Is that true?"

"I wanted to know..." Colette stated slowly, "All my life, I've been told to stay away from the desians. But as the Chosen, I'm to protect the world from them and yet I've been sheltered away...until they attacked yesterday..."

"Colette...stop..."

"So I asked Lloyd and Genis to go to the ranch...I never wanted any of it to happen but..." Colette went on, ignoring Lloyd's shocked expression and Genis' increasing guilt, "Everything that they did falls squarely on my shoulders. Even if they were doing the right thing, I accept the blame for all that it led to."

"Chosen..."

"Don't worry..." Colette told the older villager who was now seemed ashamed of what he had said earlier, "To atone for all that has happened because of my foolishness...I exile myself from Iselia..."

"Colette!"

"What are you doing?"

"Lloyd...I can't just let you and Genis suffer alone..."

"And neither will I." Lloyd said to his beloved friend, "To atone for my crimes...my foolishness...I will accompany the Chosen and will not return until she does...this journey will be my atonement...for everyone who has died..."

"Mine too!" Genis shouted before he looked back to a mumbling and sweat-drenched Raine, "I'm sorry sis...but I can't stay here...not with everything I've done."

"Chosen...my little Colette..." Phiadra said with tears, almost wanting to run over and hug her grand-daughter, "I am shamed to do this...but I accept the conditions of your exile...effective...immediately..."

"What kind of Chosen are you!"

"Enough!"

"No!" The villager in question pointed to where his son lied with a missing leg, "Don't you know what you caused you little bitch!"

"What was that!" Lloyd roared as he drew his swords to the crowd's panic, "Come here and say that in front of us!"

"Let's go Lloyd..." Colette turned away and grabbed Lloyd's hand as he shook at how some in the crowd had turned on Colette so quickly, "Lloyd..."

"Alright..." He squeezed her hand lightly and turned away from the booing crowd. "Look after Raine...no one will blame you for what happened."

"This is...this is all my fault..." Genis said on his knees beside his sister, "I'm so sorry...both of you...I didn't mean for any of this to happen..."

"Of course you didn't. No one ever means for mistakes to made." Kratos stated while he himself was lost in thought, "We will need a place to rest for the night."

"We'll be at Dirk's, Genis..." Lloyd said to his now quiet friend, "If you still don't want to come after all of this...we'll understand."

"What about Raine?"

"Our home wasn't damaged, we'll look after her and Genis there." Frank assured her daughter, "It isn't right for you young ones to shoulder all of the blame for this...no parent should have to exile their child for their own cowardice..."

"Making a hard decision for the sake of preservation is not the act of a coward." Kratos said to the sad father, "Let's go." With that, the three of them left the ruin village of Iselia without looking back...

* * *

"So that's the gist of it." Dirk set down his empty mug while sitting in the living room with his son, Colette and a standing Kratos, "Can't say that it's the best thing that could've happened, but at least the two of you are alright."

"I'm sore all over...you call that alright?"

"If it's so bad maybe I can make you chop wood to shut ya up?" Dirk asked gruffly, making Colette while Lloyd's face lost a shade of color, "Thought so lad. You're welcome to stay for as long as you need to. This isn't part of the village so you can come here whenever you want, the door will be open."

"Thank you Dirk." Colette said before she looked down at her untouched hot chocolate. Next to her, Lloyd gently rubbed her shoulder to comfort the girl.

"Dirk...could I have a word with you?"

"What for?" Dirk asked the before-silent Kratos, "Alright, I don't really know ya all that well so why not...keep on your best behavior boy!"

"What are you talking about?" Lloyd asked as Kratos and Dirk went outside and left him alone with Colette, "He acts like I try to break everything when he's gone."

"I don't think that was what he was talking about..." Colette pointed out while blushing, "He was probably teasing you though..."

"Yeah..." Lloyd agreed as he saw her small smile turn sad, "Do you regret it?"

"No. Nothing really changes now..."

"I'm really sorry about where all of this led..." Lloyd apologized for what may have been the tenth time since they left Iselia, "Raine...the village...Marble...I didn't think through my actions and I'm..."

"Why should you be sorry? You were only doing what was right. Besides, the desians already broke the treaty and already attacked the village."

"But...why do I still feel like it was all my fault..." Maybe it was knowledge that he had a share of blame or sheer guilt, right then, Lloyd felt like he had caused all of the damage in that village, "Whether it was or it wasn't...I still feel responsible for everything that happened..."

"Then we'll seek atonement together..." Colette assured Lloyd, "The Goddess knows that you're a good person Lloyd. I'm sure she'll forgive you if you show your work for atonement."

"Right..." From the voice of his angel came that sting. The sting that told him about why all of this was happening that those people in that village were going to let her die for a lie... "Hey Colette...can I talk to you later?"

"What for?" Colette inquired, "Why can't we...talk now?"

"Now?" Lloyd asked taken off guard, "Well...this isn't something that I've thought out...It's about...well..." Lloyd drew out one of his swords and watched Colette's eyes reflect the blue aura that the sword gave off.

"Oh...Raine and Genis were really curious about that..." Colette said while admiring Lloyd's blade, "It's mana...but it's...different..."

"That's part of what I wanted to talk to you about." Lloyd replied and took her hand in his after placing the sword on the table, "But what I'll have to say...you won't like it."


	5. Chapter 5

"Colette?" What was Lloyd thinking? Of course she was like this? Even though the aeglos sword was no longer potent, whatever Yuan had done to it had allowed it to convey the knowledge that he was given.

That he chose to receive.

He had told Colette everything that he had learned. The truth about Cruxis and the Desians. The meaning behind the Journey of Regeneration and what it meant to those who could not see it. That there was no goddess and the Chosen was a tool to perpetuate a four thousand year old cycle.

Then she touched the sword.

She was quiet after he had told her everything...too quiet. Quiet enough that he didn't even feel her take his blade and somehow activate the angelic rune along it's tip. After it's contents played, she dropped the sword to the ground and incoherently stuttered in angelic while she stood in place.

"You're...you're not lying..." Colette mumbled, her legs losing strength as she stood shaking. Her hands were clenched on her sides as her hair hid her eyes, "You didn't make this up. Everything you told me was...was..."

"I'm sorry about this..." "But I couldn't go on without you knowing the truth. I...I...hoped that you wouldn't be able to-"

"Believe you?" Colette asked as tears dropped down from her eyes, "Lloyd...you've never lied to me about anything. Why would you start now...even with everything that you know."

"It may seem like I'm being selfish...maybe I am." Lloyd walked towards her, it was a daring move to be sure. But he had to let her know that he was with her, "But you had to know, even if you didn't want to. I couldn't just let you throw away your humanity and your life for some sick game. If you need more proof then I'll-"

"I BELIEVE YOU!" She shouted and sprang onto Lloyd, clamping her arms around his body as she cried into his shoulder.

"Colette..." Lloyd felt water build in his own eyes as he returned her embrace.

"I'm sorry..." Colette said in between her tears, "It's just that part of me...doesn't want to believe you. But I know better...and it's disgusting that the feeling is still there. Everything is explained just from how you were talking..."

"Colette?"

"When I was taught to read the angelic language, I was taught how to tell the faithful from hypocrites." She looked into Lloyd's eyes, revealing beautiful eyes streaming with tears and filled with sorrow and doubt, "So when you were talking, I could tell that everything you said was the truth..."

"Lying is the first path to thievery. Colette..."

"I'm sorry...I'm trying to be brave but...I just...I'm so sorry..."

"Don't apologize." Lloyd sternly said, slightly frightening Colette, "You don't have any reason to apologize to me or to anyone. If anyone should apologize it's Cruxis for this sick scheme..."

"Why?" Colette desperately asked, "Everyone who...who came before me...were they just repeating the cycle? How could they decide someone's well-being like that? Why us...why me...why did they lie to everyone? To us? To me?"

"Not everyone knows that it's a lie." Lloyd admitted when Colette buried her face into his chest. His eyes darkened as he thought of the people in Iselia and how they so easily turned on this angel in his arms, "They believe that it works, so they accept it. But that...that doesn't make it right."

"I just..." Colette became quiet but kept a loosened hold over Lloyd's body, "Could you hold me?"

"Alright." Lloyd said to her as he lifted her off of her wearied feet. He carried her to his room and laid her down on his bed. But she didn't want him to let go, so he reluctantly laid down with her. When she drifted off to sleep, Lloyd kissed her forehead and feel to sleep himself.

Holding her, just as she had asked.

* * *

"So repeat this to me Forcystus." The Lord of Cruxis slouched in his throne as the green haired grand cardinal bowed before him, visibly shaking from the process of his arm's regeneration, "You confess before your lord that you and your men attempted to kill the Chosen despite her importance?"

"And that you did so because you were following my orders?" Yggdrassial asked the Grand Cardinal who remained silent, "Orders that I did not directly give to you, but were handed down through one of my Seraphs?"

"Yes my lord." Forcystus answered, "Seraph Fa-Kai told me that your orders were to kill the Chosen..."

"I see..." Yggdrassial nodded his head to dismiss the desian's guards, "Very well, the failure and deception is not yours Forcystus."

"Thank you lord Yggdrassial." Forcystus said, as those angelic guards would have executed him at Yggdrassial's words, "What of Seraph Fa-Kai? Will he punished for his deception?"

"Normally that would be much for a desian grand cardinal to ask." Yggdrassial mused as Forcystus bowed down his head, "But, you have suffered greatly for his actions. Yuan will suffer in time."

"In time?"

"Yes." The Lord of Cruxis said, "It appears that he is trying to derail my plans for the new age. Tell me, did you suffer injury from the one who bears the Angelus Crystal?"

"Yes my lord." Forcystus rubbed the raw skin of his new arm as his face hardened, "I underestimated the boy and was stricken by him. He appears to be the Chosen's main protector."

"What was his name?"

"Lloyd Irving. He wore a red jacket and wielded twin swords. He was also able to use powerful magic despite being a human. He could have ingested Aionis or..."

"Came into contact with Aeglos" Yggdrassial mused as Forcystus gritted his teeth, "I was wondering why those renegades stole an aeglos sword. Yuan, you cleaver little fox."

"My lord?"

"Of the grand cardinals, you have proven to be the most faithful apart from Pronyma." Yggrassial complemented, "Perhaps this should be rewarded with an additional deal of trust...especially due to...Lloyd Irving..."

* * *

Lloyd opened his eyes, the rays of dawn peeking through his window to beacon the new day.

The beginning of his journey.

Colette was still in his arms sleeping soundly and completely at ease with Lloyd. He carefully slipped out of her arms and let them rest on the bed, she would probably wake up soon anyway. He almost didn't want to leave her peaceful sleeping form.

But he had to get ready.

"There you are." Lloyd heard his father say from his open door. Lloyd gulped and walked up to the dwarf who held him under his view, "How is she?"

"Shaken...by everything that happened yesterday..." Lloyd replied, "It...was a lot to take in..."

"Aye, you have a point lad." The dwarf agreed, likely referring to the events in Iselia, "Here."

"What's this?" Lloyd's eyes widened when he realized that it was the necklace that he had started on until...Yuan appeared. Except that the jewel was more runic and covered with the angelic language.

"Something that Kratos helped me forge." Dirk explained, "He said that it was a "special crest" for Colette."

"Special?"

"It's a rune crest, a legendary type of key crest that can only be found in legends." Dirk said aloud, "I don't know what is going on, but he said that it was important for me to make this."

"Dad..."

"Just give it to her as a birthday present." Dirk told the young man, "But you'll be crafting her ring, here me?"

"Ring?" Lloyd blushed when he picked up what his father meant, "Dad!"

"Don't be stubborn boy." Dirk gave his son a pat on the back while laughing, "Whatever you have to do, just don't forget that your father's behind you."

"Dad..." Lloyd saw his father bring out a sheathed pair of sabers and placed them in the young man's hand.

"Take these son." Dirk said to his son, "Some of the best that I've ever forged."

"Thank you..."

"Your friends are in the living room." Lloyd gave a glance to Colette before he walked past his father, "She'll be fine, go on boy."

"Alright." Lloyd said to his father who went off to his room while Lloyd went to the living room to see a friend he expected and someone that he didn't.

"Hey Lloyd."

"Genis." Lloyd said to his young friend, "Professor Sage?"

"Hi Lloyd." The older elven woman greeted as Lloyd began to frown, having spotted the deflated sleeve where her arm used to be, "Before you say anything, Genis already told me everything. While I'm not happy about my arm, I'm not going to do two things. Blame the two of you for what happened and stay out of this journey."

"Professor-"

"I mean..." The woman composed herself until, "HOW CAN I MISS THE RUINS OF TRIET RUINS! NOT TO MENTION THE BALACRUF RUINS OR THE TOWER OF MANA! THIS IS THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME AND YOU WANT ME TO STAY HOME OVER A SILLY LITTLE ARM! THESE THINGS CAN BE GROWN BACK, I MEAN I CAN'T RIGHT NOW BUT WHO KNOWS!"

"Uh..."

"Don't even try Lloyd." Genis said as Raine continued, "Believe me, I did for far longer than I should've."

"That's right." Raine stated, "Besides, someone needs to teach Genis healing magic until I can cope."

"Guys..." Lloyd didn't know what to say, so he just went with the least that he could do, "Thanks for coming."

"In return though." Raine started and pointed to one of the swords sheathed on Lloyd's belt, "You're going to tell me how you learned to channel mana through your body and I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Alright..." Lloyd agreed, unsure of how to gauge the response that the professor would have.

"We should leave soon." Kratos entered through the front door with Noishe sitting outside, "Now the desians will be actively hunting not just the Chosen, but all of us now."

"Kratos..."

"To try and cast blame would be a waste of time." The mercenary said to Genis, "What has happened has happened and can't have happened any other way."

"How do you know?"

"We are still alive." Kratos said to Lloyd, "And as long as you are alive, you can still work to atone for whatever mistakes you have made. The mistakes themselves are for you to judge."

"So live and learn, right?" Lloyd said, "As soon as Colette is ready, we move out. Where's the first seal professor?"

"The ruins of Trient." Raine answered with an unfurled map, "It's a few days southeast of Trient which is in the desert itself, the location of the Fire Seal and the Summon Spirit of Fire, Efreet."

"Sounds fun." Genis unenthusiastically replied and lit up when Colette entered, "Hey Colette."

"Genis, Professor...thank you for still wanting to come."

"Colette..." Raine walked over and reflexively moved her left shoulder before correcting and placing her right hand on Colette's shoulder, "I said I'd be there for you through to the last seal and that's not changing."

"Me too." Genis chimed in and was shocked when Colette pulled him into a hug.

"Lloyd." She said as she ran over to the young man and embraced him, kissing him on the check as she did, "Thank you..."

"Any...anytime..." Lloyd saw something very different about Colette's attire. Her jacket was gone and replaced with a simple white sleeveless dress with blue patterns along it with the shoulder cloths from her original attire still in place.

"Oh...sorry..." Colette apologized, "My jacket was torn yesterday...so your dad gave me this."

"Why does that..."

"That was...Anna..." Lloyd jolted his glance to Kratos who looked like he saw a ghost. But seeing Lloyd, Kratos' glance returned to his normal stern look, "Prudent of you Colette, it suits you."

"Uh...yeah..."

"Thank you." Colette said with a blush on her face, "Well everyone, now it's time to depart. I know that I've been really clumsy, but I'll try my best to make sure that everyone comes back alive from this journey."

"Everyone..." Raine glanced to the side for a moment for reasons that Lloyd knew of, "Alright Colette and I'll try my best not to slow anyone down."

"You won't Professor." Lloyd assured his teacher, "Ready?"

"Let's go."

* * *

Deep within the Trient Ruins sat a simple well. A well that contained the very fiery essence of Efreet himself, it was this fire that helped forge the Sword that Mithos' holds next to his throne.

It was also here that the Seraph's most hated prisoner was kept.

Yuan exhaled deeply while the chains moved and a figure was raised out of the depths of the well. Hot magma dropped off to reveal a naked, but intact though smoked body much to Yuan's disappointment.

He often wondered if he should kill the man now.

"Is my execution about to start?"

"How long have you been here?"

"Four Thousand years," The prisoner answered boredly, Yuan marched towards the edge of the pit as the man chuckled, "A man can dream, no?"

"I am even less inclined to kill you today." Yuan informed this much hated figure, "Soon, this cycle will all end."

"So you're finally gonna stand up to that brat?" The prisoner asked as he chuckled, "No wonder he got his sister-"

"As for his sister's death." Yuan pulled his arm back into his cloak, using patience formed from thousands of years of practice to restrain himself from killing the coughing prisoner, "I am staring the reason in it's face."

"In that case, perhaps you should look in a mirror as well."

"Security will be placed within the ruins." Yuan stated, "I hope you don't find this problematic."

"Have I ever had a choice?"

"Of course not, I thought it polite to inform you." Yuan mockingly retorted, somehow this man still infuriated him even after four thousand years, "Enjoy the preview of hell."

"All three of you have a place already." The man stated as kept a deathly glare on Yuan while being lowered back into the pit, "I'll greet you as brother when I finally get there."

"Not just yet, murderer."


End file.
